My Big 2012 Goal - ReUseIt

If there is one thing that I didn't like about Ironman training it was HOW MUCH I USED... from clothes, nutrition, gear, etc. it seemed like every month was a new purchase...

So my big goal this year is to go the next six months without buying anything NEW. It wouldn't really work if I did this by myself, so my poor family is getting pulled in with me.

So far the rules that I have come up with (and my lovely husband Alex has agreed to) are as follows:

1) Nothing brand new - i.e. purchased from the store

2) Exceptions will be anything that you can't reuse, resell or borrow such as Food, Vitamins, Underwear (I have my limits haha), toilet paper, gasoline, car engine oil... I'll might have to add as we think of stuff...

3) If we need something (clothes, electronics, furniture, HRM!!) we must find it used (i.e. second hand shops, garage sales, reclamation, etc.) but the whole idea is to really examine if we need it. If it's more difficult to obtain, we might find another solution.

4) Food: I guess part of the impetus of this idea is to have less environmental impact so we are going to go for at least 3 vegetarian meals a week and buying local and seasonal fruit and veg. I plan to hit up the new store, Roswell Provisions, as it's on our way home from my son's school and our other local awesome food store: Harry's Farmer's Market Alpharetta.

This is what I'll be using to start my vegetarian journey! Wish me luck!!

5) Paper products - aside from toilet paper the goal is to not buy any new paper products (I have some in the house, but once they are used up, that's it!). This includes paper towels, napkins, notebooks (ack!!), printer paper, etc.

6) Workout clothes - first of all, no, I am not planning on buying second hand workout clothes. Gross!! however, I am committing to nothing new for 6 months unless my bathing suit and tri shorts become see-thru... nobody needs to see that!! I will curb any "it's just so cute" purchases though. Guess that first trip to lululemon will have to wait until July!!

7) The rest of my tri-gear... oh boy, tough to say... but everything else will follow the same rules, if something breaks in the next 6 months, I'll be going used! Excepting my helmet, safety first!

If I break a rule, then I have to post about it and why I broke it... so I'd better have a good reason.

I'm curious to see what challenges this leads to...

The one staring me in the face is that my 7 year old son needs a watch for school... will I be able to find one at a second hand shop? Let's see!!

5
comments:

Love it! I've always thought about the huge environmental impact of triathlon, but just hoped somehow that by not being fat, out of shape and dependent on medications to keep me healthy would somehow offset that.

I love your new rules!

I may join you, or at least modify and make them my own. Especially after cleaning my house last week, looking at all the wedding/christmas gifts and thinking "I don't really NEED 90% of this."

Gotta kick that overindulgence/wasteful spending and get back to basics. Both my wallet and the environment will be happier.

tribirdie goes No Sugar No Grain

About Tribirdie

Web Developer by trade, owner of Concept168 - a boutique consulting firm; specializing in web development and e-commerce.

I guess it had to be answered someday... "why tribidie?" Simple answer: my family has pretty much always called me "bird" or "birdie"... and I'm somewhat addicted to the sport of triathlon... hence tribirdie!